The present invention relates to therapy processes to be applied to a human or animal body, and in particular to the use of single or multiple modalities for the application of pulsed energy to the body for therapeutic purposes.
In the present inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,743 of Mar. 3, 1987, an apparatus is disclosed in which infrared electromagnetic radiation of a selected frequency or frequency range is applied to a body for therapy purposes. The radiation may be produced by a broad band infrared diode array, the drive for which is modulated at a high frequency. The diodes are placed in contact with a selected portion of the body for treatment. The disclosure of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,743 is incorporated herein by reference.
It has now been found that the modulation of infrared energy at relatively low frequencies, typically in the sonic or sub-sonic range, can provide enhanced therapeutic effects for an IR therapy device. Such effects can be further improved by combining such infrared treatment with the concurrent application of other energy-transmission modalities, such as vibration or electronic stimulation, modulated at the same frequency or at a frequency associated with the frequency of the infrared radiation.
It is accordingly a primary purpose of the present invention to provide an improved device for irradiating the body of a subject to be treated by means of infrared radiation modulated at one or more audio frequencies.
Still a further purpose of the present invention is to provide a therapy device in which such infrared radiation may be combined with one or more additional modalities for the application of resonant energy to the subject.
Still a further purpose of the present invention is to provide a therapy application device which may have a single output applicator capable of applying one or more therapy modalities in conjunction with each other.
Yet another purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for the treatment of tissues by the application of energy modulated at an audio or sub-audio rate, wherein the energy is in the form of infrared energy, either alone or applied concurrently with one or more other energy modes.